A Bit of Light Reading
by LovelyLovett
Summary: Mrs.Lovett, being a woman, has never received a proper education. When Sweeney finds out he decides to take her up on some lessons and finds that, although she's slightly illiterate, she has a beautiful mind. Rated M for language and later chapters.
1. Be not afeared

**Super happy to announce that this _will_ be a multi-chapter fic, so enjoy and don't be afraid to review!**

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"Be not...aferred...afeared...a-aferead…"

When Sweeney walked into the parlour and caught Mrs. Lovett reading a bit of Shakespeare, he thought it would be rather nice to spend the afternoon reading with her. Even though he hated to admit it, he did love her voice, and wouldn't mind a distraction from the broody atmosphere in his shop upstairs. As he got comfortable next to her on the sofa however, he looked over her shoulder at the book in her hands and realized that she was not even through the first paragraph on the page, and had stumbled on nearly every word thus far.

"Afeared. It means afraid," He told her with a raised eyebrow.

"Right. Be not...afeared. The issle is full of n-noises."

"Isle. You don't pronounce the s," He mumbled, smirking slightly as he stared at the baker beside him. He absolutely loved to annoy her as much as possible. She looked so adorable when her cheeks got red and she got all huffy, and he just loved playing with her.

"Isle," Mrs. Lovett repeated through gritted teeth. "The isle is full of noises; sounds and sweet airs, that give de...d-delight and hurt not," She finished the line and took a deep breath. Although the words were familiar, she always got twisted up somehow, and with the love of her life reading over her shoulder, she was practically shaking with nervousness.

"Uh, sometimes a thousand...um...t-twinkling...no, um, twang….twangling?"

"Twangling. That's not a real word, I don't think," Sweeney corrected her.

"Twangling instruments would hum about my ears."

"Mine."

"Huh?" She looked up from the page.

"Mine ears. Not my. There's a difference, pet," He scoffed, pointing to the word in question.

"Who cares?!" Mrs. Lovett finally shouted, slamming the book shut and throwing it across the room. "It's a dumb book anyway!"

Sweeney frowned at the baker's sudden outburst of emotion, but could tell that he had thoroughly agitated the woman next to him. He honestly had no idea what was wrong- he didn't mean to upset her, he just wanted to annoy her a little bit.

"What's the matter, Nellie?" He asked softly.

"Why does 'e write like that?!" She shouted angrily.

"Who, Shakespeare?"

"He's using all those fancy words for nothin'!"

"Oh, come on. They're not fancy."

Mrs. Lovett stared at him for a moment, obviously flustered. She opened and closed her mouth for a moment before standing up and shouting.

"It's not fair!" Despite her effort to hold it in, she began to cry, although she wasn't sure if the tears were from anger or frustration or despair.

"What's not fair? I don't think Shakespeare wrote that book specifically to get on your nerves," Sweeney mumbled, placing a hand on her arm to calm her down. He definitely hated when she cried, and was now both confused and concerned.

"You know everything!" The baker screamed, violently pulling away from the man beside her and running over to her bookshelf against the wall. One by one, she plucked her books from the shelf and threw them as hard as she could across the room.

"It isn't fair! You went to school! You got to go to school with all the other boys, but I...I never got that! You got to learn reading and arithmetic while I was at home learnin' to sew and sweep the bloody floor. My mum learned me to read and write but...but I'm still so fucking stupid! I don't wanna be stupid, Sweeney...I don't…"

She slid down her now emptied book shelf, and hit the floor with a guttural cry.

"Why is it so hard to read? Why can't I do it…" She angrily wiped the tears streaming down her flushed cheeks, and grabbed the nearest book before opening it and beginning to tear out the pages.

"Hey, hey now, don't…" Sweeney was on the floor in an instant and quickly grabbed Mrs. Lovett's hands, making her stop and look up.

"It's alright," He said softly, taking the book and the torn out pages away from her. As he looked into her big water brown eyes, he felt an immense pang of guilt in his heart, and he knew he had to do something to help. He always assumed that the baker was literate, after all, she could read well enough to get by at the market and in her shop; but when confronted with a full on book, she wasn't capable of reading beyond the level of a ten year old.

"You're not stupid," He mumbled, picking her up and bringing her back to the sofa.

"I am and it's embarrassing," Mrs. Lovett sniffled.

"Mrs. Lovett, listen to me. You. Are. Not. Stupid. I mean that. You're brilliant. You came up with the idea of how to get rid of the corpses, you're fantastic with coming up with new business tactics to keep the customers coming in, and you even figured out the right measurements to season the meat just right so it's undetectable." He said, gently putting a finger under her chin so that she would look into his eyes.

"Yeah, but I can't read," She grumbled with a frown.

"Well...I can fix that," He said, moving away to grab a nearby book on the floor.

"If it means so much to you...I'll teach you to read properly, alright? No big deal."

"Really?" Mrs. Lovett frowned in confusion for a moment. Why would he care if she could read or not?

"Sure. It'll be good for you," He mumbled, looking down at the book in his hand and opening it to the front page. "Come on, let's start then."

Mrs. Lovett stared in awe when she saw Sweeney waiting for her with the opened book in his hands. Never before had anyone been so kind and patient with her.

"Thank you," She whispered before moving a little closer and looking over his shoulder at the words.

Nodding slowly, Sweeney held the book for her to see, and then pointed to the first words. "You start," He told her.

Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Lovett gently laid her head on the barber's shoulder and read aloud: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…"


	2. Advancing

After their first meeting together, Mrs. Lovett and Mr. Todd ended up spending a lot more time together. They developed a schedule- Sweeney would come down every afternoon at about 4 o'clock, and sit down with her for two hours, then at 6, Mrs. Lovett would make dinner for the both of them and they would discuss the book they were currently reading before Sweeney went back upstairs and went to bed. It was a nice schedule, and Mrs. Lovett had to remind herself not to get too giddy every now and again. She wasn't used to being the center of anyone's attention, though. So when Sweeney actually sat down with her and explained things to her, it only made her heart swell for him even more. Sweeney, surprisingly, enjoyed his time with the baker as well. Although he would never admit it, he liked the sound of Mrs. Lovett's voice, and actually found it quite calming to listen to her after a long day of work.

Of course, their schedule changed now and again. On certain nights, Mrs. Lovett found herself unable to sleep, and so marched upstairs and knocked on Sweeney's door with an armful of blankets, books, and a small lantern.

"Sweeney?" She asked before entering the room. It was difficult to see through the darkness, but after a few moments, she picked out the barber's silhouette sitting on a small cot he'd pulled into the back corner of the room.

"Mrs. Lovett?" His voice was groggy with sleep, but he stood up nonetheless and walked toward the baker.

"Um, I couldn't sleep," She said shyly as she gently set the lantern down on the familiar velvet chair in the center of the room.

"Good god, Mrs. Lovett, do you have any idea of the time?" He said in a slightly aggrivated tone. Although he hadn't quite gotten to sleep himself, he was very tired and not in the mood for social interaction.

"Yes, it's 3:22 AM. Like I said, I couldn't sleep," The baker mumbled, taking a step closer. "I was hoping, um, that maybe, well...perhaps you wouldn't mind reading for a bit? Only if you want to…" She stuttered.

Sweeney frowned when he heard Mrs. Lovett's proposal. He was not in the mood to stay up and read, but he could tell by the shakiness of her voice, that the baker definitely needed something to calm her anxiety; she was practically shaking in front of him.

"Alright. Come and sit," He mumbled, taking a few steps back and motioning towards his bed.

Smiling slightly, Mrs. Lovett followed and took a seat on the edge of Sweeney's bed, then wrapped one of her blankets around her shoulders as a chill ran down her spine.

"It's dreadfully cold up 'ere. I should send up some extra blankets in the morning," She mumbled.

"No, don't bother. It's fine," Said the barber stiffy as he took a seat beside her.

"I'm sorry for annoying you," Mrs. Lovett quickly blurted, suddently second guessing her decision to come upstairs.

"You're not annoying me."

"Really? Because I feel like I am...I'm sorry…"

"Well you aren't, so shut up and read." Sweeney mumbled, opening the book to where the bookmark was and holding out in front of him.

"Right. Um...Her g-golden hair, which she wore in long curls, had been h-hurried….uh hurriedly...hurriedly pushed aside, and ...and f-fell down over her neck. Ad...uh, adv….what's that word?" She stopped mid sentence to stare up at the barber with furrowed eyebrows.

"Sound it out, pet," He mumbled patiently.

"It's too dark for readin'," She huffed impatiently.

"Perhaps you should bring the lantern-"

But before he could even get his words out, he found Mrs. Lovett's small form seated right in his lap. She ducked under his arms and then gently nestled back against his body before getting straight back to reading before he could open his mouth.

"Ad-van-cing. A-advancing? What does that mean?"

"It's when something is going toward something else," Sweeney replied sternly, unable to even see the book over the frizzy hive of red hair now directly in front of him.

"Oh. Okay. Advancing his hand little by little…"

Sweeney took a deep breath and looked away, trying his best to stay calm. He couldn't though, because _Mrs. Lovett_ was sitting _in his lap._ Her body was so tiny compared to his, but she fit perfectly in between his arms. She seemed to have a warmth that radiated from her and warmed his entire body. Needless to say, Mr. Todd eventually relaxed and even came to _enjoy_ the close proximity of the baker.

Mrs. Lovett managed to read for a little less than an hour before the words on the page began to blur before her eyes and she became overwhelmed with sleep. After yawning and shutting the book, she sat still for a moment and noticed the sudden weight on her right shoulder. She had been so entranced by the book that she hadn't even noticed Sweeney's head resting on her shoulder. She smiled to herself and stayed perfectly still, pretending that just for a moment, they were together. She closed her eyes for a second, but let out a sigh once Sweeney sat up when he realized she was no longer reading.

"Um...I think I'll turn in now," She mumbled, slowly moving out of his lap.

As much as he hated to admit it, Sweeney immediately missed the baker once she moved away from him. He had gotten used to her warm, cuddly body.

"Alright," He said gruffly, waiting for her to get out of bed.

"My bedroom is so far away though…"

"It's not too far."

"D'you suppose I could sleep 'ere for the night?" She bit her lip and stared up at him with her big brown eyes, desperately hoping he wouldn't make her move.

"...Fine." He was too tired to fight.

She tried to hide the wide smile on her face and remain calm, practically shaking with happiness as she gently pulled her feet up and curled up under the blankets. She made herself comfortable and then looked up expectantly when she noticed Sweeney hadn't moved from his seat on the edge of the bed.

"What?" She asked softly.

"Move," He mumbled, placing one hand on her side and pushing her towards the edge of the bed so there was room for him. He didn't want her trying to snuggle up to him or anything.

Too tired to care, Mrs. Lovett turned on her side and stared at the back of Sweeney's head.

"Why were you awake when I came up 'ere earlier?" She asked curiously.

Letting out an annoyed sigh, Sweeney shrugged. "Don't sleep much. Why were you up?"

"Dunno. My brain wouldn't shut up...it does that sometimes,"

"Thank you for staying up with me," She whispered, gently reaching out and laying her hand flat against his back. It wasn't as much contact as she would've liked, but she knew he'd otherwise kick her out.

"Yeah yeah," He mumbled in return, already half asleep.

"Goodnight, Mr. T," Mrs. Lovett gently moved forward and rested her forehead against the back of his neck.

"Goodnight, Mrs...Nellie…"


	3. Blown Away

Sweeney was the first to wake bright and early the next morning. He wasn't too surprised to find Mrs. Lovett with all four limbs completely wrapped around him, but sighed nonetheless as he sat up in bed. He gently unwrapped her legs from around his waist and moved her so that she was laying on her back. Although he could tolerate her snuggling while they were reading, he definitely didn't like being suffocated by her all the time. Looking at the clock on the wall, the barber ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. He decided not to wake the baker yet, he couldn't bring himself to do it. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep, and a small smile tugged on the corners of his lips as he admired the way her auburn hair shot out of her head at every possible angle. Her off-white satin nightgown had hitched up slightly while he was moving her, and now rested on her hip bone, allowing him to get just a glimpse of her lacy black knickers.

Shaking his head, Sweeney got up from bed and walked across the room, trying to forget about the baker for the moment and get on with his morning routine. He washed his face and changed his shirt, then put on his holster and got to work sharpening his razors one by one. It was another hour before Mrs. Lovett woke up.

"Hhhmmmm," She hummed as she rubbed her eyes and languidly stretched out in bed. She had forgotten where she was until she looked around and realized exactly where she was. "Oh...good morning, Mr. T," She said, sitting up and pulling her nightgown down when she saw the barber staring at her from the opposite side of the room.

"Morning," He mumbled, glancing back down at the razor in his hand and continuing his work.

"You ought to let me clean the windows in 'ere one day. God forbid you let any light in through those dingy ol' things."

"You've been awake for less than a minute and you're already running your mouth," Sweeney mumbled with a frown.

Mrs. Lovett smirked fondly and began to get out of bed.

"Y'know if you ever...if you can't sleep, you're welcome to come downstairs next time…" She offered as she picked her book off of the floor and wrapped a blanket over her shoulders.

"No thank you," He sighed.

"Thanks for letting me spend the night, anyway. I'll get out of your hair now," She mumbled, walking closer and giving him a small kiss on the cheek before returning to her room downstairs.

Once downstairs, she changed and did her hair, unable to stop thinking of the barber upstairs. She couldn't believe he let her spend the night. He had been so patient and caring with her lately, that she really had no choice but to believe that he was actually starting to care for her. Not a lot, perhaps, but enough. He didn't cuddle or hold her, but he didn't push her away either, and she was amazed by that. And on top of that, he was teaching her how to read. It was truly an incredible feeling. She had her dignity back now, and felt as if she had something new to live for now. Every new word in her vocabulary unlocked a door to new ideas that she never even thought possible. She couldn't get enough of it. So, deciding to take the day off, Mrs. Lovett sat down in the parlour and read the entire day.

By the time Sweeney came down that afternoon, she had already finished A Tale of Two Cities, and was standing at her bookshelf trying to decide on what to read next.

"Studying on your own, I see," The barber observed as he walked in and sat down.

"Oh...yes. I finished that one," She mumbled, pointing to the book on the coffee table.

"Really?" Sweeney arched his eyebrow. They had had nearly a hundred pages to go when they stopped, and he knew she wasn't a particularly fast reader either.

"Yes. I didn't work today, I wanted to finish my book. I can't stand being left in suspense like that! I was a bit disappointed by the ending, though. It was so violent. And Carton was a nice man. Why did he have to die, Sweeney?" She said with a sigh, still turned toward the bookshelf.

"To prove a point."

"What point?"

"Life is unfair. Revolution stops for no man. Nothing good comes from glorifying a martyr."

"Well that's depressing. I don't think I like that Dickens man."

Sweeney scoffed a bit at that and shook his head.

"I want to read something more interesting now. What about this?"

Finally turning around, Mrs. Lovett came to the sofa and handed Sweeney her copy of Frankenstein with a wide smile.

Sweeney took the book and stared at the cover for a moment before shrugging and nodding.

"Alright. Shall we start?" He asked, opening up to the first page before looking back to the baker.

"Um, well actually...y'see, I've been reading all day...my eyes are sorta tired...I was hoping maybe this time you could just read to me?" She asked nervously.

Sweeney frowned when Mrs. Lovett suggested that he read. He hated reading aloud, it felt childish and stupid, and he always got bored. "I don't know, pet…"

"Please? I'll still be learning...I'll listen to every word, I promise," She begged with a small pout.

Rolling his eyes, Sweeney looked down at the book once more.

"You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings…"

Mrs. Lovett smiled triumphantly as Sweeney began to read to her, and relaxed into the sofa as she listened to his words. His voice was strong and sharp and gruff, and she just couldn't get enough of it.

She listened to the story for about twenty minutes before getting bored and restless. She laid her head on his shoulder like she had become accustomed to doing when they read together, but after a minute or so, she decided she wanted more contact. Making as little movement as possible, Mrs. Lovett gently shifted so that she was laying horizontal on the couch with her head in Sweeney's lap.

Sweeney didn't think much at first when he felt Mrs. Lovett moving. He knew she was very restless sometimes, but when he felt her sliding up against him and resting her head on his legs, he began to tense up. It was much more intimate than he would've liked, but he didn't exactly know what to do to get her to move. He was past the point of trying to be mean to her anymore, and didn't want to make things awkward so, taking a deep breath, he focused on the pages in front of him and began to move.

Mrs. Lovett smiled slightly when she heard Sweeney pause for a moment but then continue. Knowing she was safe now, the baker closed her eyes and got comfortable as she listened to the story. Every now and then she would stop him and ask him what a word meant or to explain certain sentences, but she kept her eyes closed the whole time. She fiddled with her hair a bit when she felt like moving, but after an hour and a half of reading, she began to get a bit bored.

"Mr. T… I think I've 'ad enough for now," She mumbled, reaching up and gently wrapping her fingers around his wrist to get his attention.

Stopping mid sentence, Sweeney looked down at Mrs. Lovett with a sigh and slowly put the book down on the sofa beside him.

There was silence for a moment, before Mrs. Lovett moved to sit up, keeping her hand on the barber's lap.

"Actually, I've been thinkin'... you've been so kind to me this past week, and I've nothing to offer in return…"

Shifting uncomfortably, Sweeney gulped and shook his head. "I don't want anything. Reading is a basic necessity," He said with a frown.

"Yeah, but surely I could give you _something,"_ A small smirk tugged on Mrs. Lovett's lips as she gently rubbed his thigh.

"I...I don't...you shouldn't…" Sweeney stuttered, suddenly paralysed under the baker's touch.

Staying silent, Mrs. Lovett gracefully lowered herself onto the floor and put her hands on his knees, beginning to stroke them as she looked up at his face again.

Sweeney bit his lip, mentally screaming at himself to get up and leave. He knew he really shouldn't let her continue. Nothing good could ever come out of this. He could never look at her the same way. They were supposed to be _reading_ for Christ's sake, and now she was in front of him giving him that look with those stupidly tantalizing eyes. Yet part of his brain stopped him from storming out the door. It couldn't be too bad, could it? It wasn't _actual_ sex, so he wasn't _technically_ doing anything wrong. Like Mrs. Lovett said, this was his reward for being her teacher. Perhaps just this once it was alright.

While the barber was stuck in his indecisiveness, Mrs. Lovett had already taken action, so the next time he looked down, his pants were at his ankles and his knees were spread apart, allowing her for better access.

Mrs. Lovett, unlike Sweeney, had no regrets. She wasn't exactly the most modest woman to begin with, and knew that a simple blowjob would get her foot in the door for later. Although the reading was nice and all, she wanted a proper relationship, and this was the only way she could think to get it.

When she looked up again, Mr. Todd's face was bright red and he was staring across the room at the fireplace with the most intensity she'd ever seen.

"Sweeney, you gotta breathe, love," She reminded him, not looking away until she saw him inhale, causing his face to turn more of a pinkish shade now.

Without further hesitation, Mrs. Lovett took the barber's erected member in her hand and gently gripped his shaft. She gave him a few good strokes to make sure he was nice and hard before leaning forward and gently sucking on his tip.

Although it wasn't her first time doing this, it had been a while. Not that Sweeney could tell, of course. In fact, as far as she could tell, the barber was quite enjoying his little treat. Although his face was still slightly flushed, his mouth hung slightly open and his eyebrows were creased, creating what she assumed to be a grimace of pleasure.

She happily teased him with her tongue for a while, circling his tip in alternating directions before giving it a small kiss. She licked a stripe from the base to the tip and quickly found that if she applied feather light pressure to one particular spot on the underside just under the rim of his tip, he completely lost it.

"Oh, fuck," He mumbled under his breath, arching his back and pushing his hips forward.

Mrs. Lovett nearly giggled at this, but had to remind herself to remain calm. After teasing him for a few more minutes, she decided to show some mercy and take him fully in her mouth. The first time she took him all in, she had to pull back for a moment, and nearly gagged when he hit the back of her throat. It wasn't that he was particularly big (or small, for that matter), but the baker happened to have a very tiny jaw and wasn't used to these things. Nonetheless, she tried again, and did much better on her second attempt. She slowly picked up a rhythm and began to bob her head back and forth.

She could hear Sweeney's labored breath and absolutely loved when he grunted or swore from time to time. Although her actions got a bit repetitive and boring, she forced herself to keep going. She tried to be spontaneous, and expiremented a little bit with using her teeth, which she also found drove Sweeney up the wall. After another few minutes, she could tell the barber was very close, so she took him fully in her mouth once again, and moved as fast as she could.

She was surprised, however, when she felt a pair of hands clutching her hair and tugging her forward. She looked up at Sweeney, but his eyes were shut as he gripped the baker's head and thrusted hard into her mouth. Mrs. Lovett's eyes widened, but she kept her mouth open and let him have his way. After a few more thrusts, he took her head and forced himself all the way inside of her before stilling as his muscles tensed and he released in her mouth. Mrs. Lovett stayed perfectly still and obediently swallowed as she stared up at Mr. Todd.

By the time he let go of her head and pulled out, Mrs. Lovett was gasping for air. She fell backwards onto the floor and sucked in harsh breaths. Once her breathing was calmed down, she sat up and wiped the mixture of saliva and semen from her mouth and chin with the back of her hand.

"Did you like that?" She asked, unable to believe that she had just given the love of her life a blowjob.

"...yeah," Sweeney replied breathlessly, still feeling quite hazy.

"I should um...go," He said after another minute, reaching down to pull his pants up.

Mrs. Lovett nodded and smiled slightly as she got up from the floor.

"Same time tomorrow, then?"


	4. Bravery

It had been a few days since Mrs. Lovett last saw Mr. Todd, and she was beginning to get worried. She hoped she hadn't scared him off, but knew that since their last encounter, things would never be the same. She had tried reading on her own, but it became more and more difficult without the barber's patience and encouragement. In fact, after three days of trying to read on her own, Mrs. Lovett was extremely frustrated, and marched up to Sweeney's shop after work.

"Mr. T," She called as she opened the door and walked right into the room. She stomped over to Sweeney and shoved a book along with a crumped piece of paper into his hand.

"I'm sorry if I've upset you, but I-I've been trying really 'ard to read and I can't do it and the harder I try th-the worse I get, s-so I wrote down a list of the words I didn't understand and I need you to explain them to me," Although she had practiced her little speech in her head, it came out sounding much less tough than she would've liked.

Sweeney paused for a moment and stared at Mrs. Lovett with furrowed eyebrows for a second.

"This isn't about the reading…" He mumbled, slowly putting the book down.

"I miss you," Mrs. Lovett blurted out. "I miss reading with you. It was the best part of my day, and I-I don't know how to do it without you and I get that...I get that you don't wanna be with me but I still...I want to read, Sweeney, I really do, it's-"

Before she could finish her little rant, she found herself surrendering to the oddest sensation; Sweeney's lips were on hers. Her eyes widened his shock for a moment, before slowly shutting to allow her to fully appeciate what was happening. His lips were chapped and rough and aggresive, but that didn't come as a surprise. He kissed her hard and passionately, keeping both hands on the back of her head and refusing to let her move. However, just when she let herself relax into the kiss, he was pulling away.

When she opened her eyes he was already on the other side of the room, running a hand through his hair with a scowl on his face. She stood there for a moment, breathless, before slowly walking to him once again.

"Hey-"

"I shouldn't have done that," He interrupted before she could say any more.

"Why not?"

"Because you're...you're Mrs. Lovett! You're the stupid little girl that's had a crush on me for as long as I can remember. You're...you were married, Eleanor. And so was I. You're my landlord, and business associate, but that's the extent of it, and you were foolish to think anything else."

He took a deep breath once he finished and stared at Mrs. Lovett with a frown, trying to harden himself against her tears.

Mrs. Lovett's entire body tensed up when she heard Sweeney speak, and every word left her heart aching even more. She stared at the ground for a moment, shaking her head as she processed everything. Her vision began to blur, and as hard as she tried to blink out the tears, they began to stream down her face. Not wanting to cry in front of the barber, Mrs. Lovett quickly rushed out of the room and ran downstairs into the parlour.

Sweeney let out a sigh as he watched Mrs. Lovett leave. He didn't mean to hurt her that bad, but he knew he had to set some boundaries. As much as he hated to admit it, he really did like the baker, but refused to let himself get attached for some reason. But as he sat down in his chair, his mind continued to replay the image of a crying Nellie, and he once again felt that pang of guilt in his cold dead heart. Letting out a long sigh, Sweeney began to pace. He walked the length of the room countless times until both his legs and mind became exhausted. But after an hour of pacing, he came to the decision that he did, in fact, owe Mrs. Lovett an apology. Picking up the book and scrap of parchment on the floor, he quickly jogged down the steps and into Mrs. Lovett's part of the house.

When he arrived at the living room, he was surprised to find Mrs. Lovett sitting on the sofa. She looked an absolute wreck, and he felt even worse when he realized it was all his fault.

She was sitting on the floor with her back against the bookshelf and her head resting against her knees. Her hands were balled up into fists, and tugged at her matted auburn hair that had fallen out of it's halphazardly updo.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" She mumbled to herself, releasing one of her hands only to smack herself in the forehead.

"Nellie-"

She jumped at the sound of her name and looked up at the barber with freightened, red-rimmed eyes. She quickly attempted to dry her tears, and immediately lowered her eyes and uncomfortably tugged at the sleeves of her dress, feeling embarassed that he had caught her in such a state.

"How many times do I have to tell you- you're not stupid," He said gently before kneeling on the floor in front of her.

"I am. I was s-stupid to think I c-could ever b-be with you. I w-was stupid to ruin the r-relationship we already 'ad. I was stupid to think y-you would ever w-want me. I was stupid to bloody fall in l-love with you in the f-first place," She sniffled.

Sweeney's eyes softened a bit when he heard the hurt in Mrs. Lovett's voice. Clearing his throat, he moved closer and put one hand on her arm before gently tilting her chin up so she could look at him.

"You're right," He mumbled.

"Wha-"

"You're right. You were stupid to fall in love with me in the first place. But continuing to love me...all this time...after all I've done to you...that isn't stupitidy. That's bravery."

Mrs. Lovett bit her lip while Sweeney was talking, and stared at him with a raised eyebrow when he finished. It was so unlike him to offer her words of kindness, so she was taken completely off guard. She stared into his eyes and saw nothing but genuine compassion for a flicker of a moment. Letting all the bad feelings melt away, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around the barber as tightly as she could.

"Thank you," She whispered into the crook of his neck as she ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his head.

Sweeney simply nodded and eventually wrapped his arms around the tiny baker as well. He could feel his shirt dampen with her tears, but continued to hold her for several minutes before pulling away and taking out the crumpled up paper in his pocket.

"So conceive means to create something," He started out, pointing to the first word on the list.

"Repentant means sorry. Like in Church when you repent for your sins; that sort of idea,"

"Never was one for Church, really," Mrs. Lovett mumbled, now leaning her head on his shoulder and feeling a lot better.

"Why am I not surprised?" Sweeney chuckled before looking back down at the list.

"Secluded means sort of cut off; isolated, or alone."

Mrs. Lovett nodded again, gently nudging him so that he would keep going.

"Salubrious is a fancy word for healthy."

Another nod and nudge.

"Perplexed means confused or uncertain."

"Oh. So for example...I'm perplexed about why you kissed me," Mrs. Lovett mumbled slowly.

"Yes. I mean, no. I mean- yes, that's proper usage of the word, very good" He stuttered, completely thrown off by the change of subject.

"Sweeney." Mrs. Lovett demanded his attention by putting one hand on the side of his face and turning it back towards her. "Why'd you kiss me?"

Sweeney shifted uncomfortably and stared at the floor. "I'd rather not say."

Pursing her lips, Mrs. Lovett continued to stare at the barber before giving him a kiss on the cheek and settling back into his arms.

Before either one of them knew it, the hours flew by and it was nearly midnight. Sweeney smirked at first when he saw Mrs. Lovett yawning, finding it quite cute, but once the clock struck twelve, he realized they both needed to get some rest.

"Shall we continue reading in the morning?" He asked softly, pulling away to get the baker's attention.

"Hmm, alright. I don't suppose...I don't suppose you'd like to stay down 'ere tonight?" She mumbled.

"I can stay until you're asleep," Sweeney answered, not wanting to leave Mrs. Lovett on her own just yet.

"Right. That's...fine," Mrs. Lovett sighed as she got to her feet and headed to the bedroom. She would've preferred Sweeney to stay the whole night, but knew that this was a big enough step for the both of them and that she shouldn't push her luck.

"Come in, love, make yourself comfy," She told him as they entered her room.

Sweeney looked around the room and stiffly sat on the corner of the bed, watching as Mrs. Lovett walked to her dresser.

"Might want to turn around," She warned him before pulling her dress over her head and changing into her nightgown.

Sweeney quickly, almost violently, whirrled around and stared at the opposite wall, smirking slightly when he saw the picture of her and Albert hanging there. She looked almost the same as she did now in the picture, only much unhappier.

"You like the photograph?" Mrs. Lovett teased as she danced past the barber in her nightgown over to her vanity.

"Uh…"

"I was nineteen there. Can you believe it?"

"You look quite...mature," was all Sweeney could think to say.

Mrs. Lovett let out a small scoff at this and shook her head. She began plucking hairpins out of her hair, but stared at Sweeney behind her in the mirror.

"I do quite like that picture though. Y'know why? Because it was an excuse. Remember that day I asked you to come down an' hang it for me? It was just you an' me...alone...in my bedroom…" She said with a slight smirk.

"Your flirting knows no bounds," Sweeney mumbled, rolling his eyes a bit.

"Yes, well...it didn't work on you. Oh no, not the great Benjamin Barker. Too gentlemanly for your own good, you were. Refused to even look at me..."

"I'm back, aren't I?"

Mrs. Lovett raised an eyebrow at this before turning around to face him. "Yes. Yes you are," She breathed as she glided over to bed.

She stared into his eyes for a moment, trying to read him, but only saw hesitation.

"Well...goodnight," She finally said, turning out the lights and getting under the covers.

She smiled to herself when seh felt Sweeney moving from the edge of the bed to lay on top of the covers next to her. His body was rigid, but Mrs. Lovett only moved closer and happily reached over to hold his hand.

The both of them stayed silent for a long while, and just when Sweeney was about to check if she was asleep, Mrs. Lovett's voice cut through the silence once again.

"Mr. T," She started, rising slightly and leaning on her elbows so she could look at him. "Do you stand by what you said about me earlier? About me being brave?"

Sweeney raised an eyebrow at her question, but eventually nodded and mumbled a small "'Course."

"Well then...I think I'd like to test my courage…" She mumbled before leaning in for a kiss.

She didn't give him any time to respond before she flung the covers off of the bed and swung her leg over his waist to straddle him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gently ran her tongue over his bottom lip. To her surprise, Sweeney reacted immediately, and sat up in bed before circling his arms around her torso. His mouth devoured hers, and she let it. It seemed that she had lit the spark of action they had both been waiting for all this time. Sweeney was no longer hesitant, which made her all the more excited and eager.

They pulled back for breath for one moment, and Mrs. Lovett couldn't help but smile as she leaned her forehead against his and stared into his eyes. She didn't feel the need to say anything anymore, so she simply took his hands and guided them to the hem of her night dress. She held her breath as he lifted the garment over her head and bit her lip once she was nearly naked before him.

Sweeney took a moment to drink in the sight of the baker naked in front of him for the first time. Her porcelain skin glistened in the dim moonlight, and her auburn hair spilled down her shoulders over the tops of her breasts, making for a beautiful contrast. Her breasts were small and perky, but they fit her well. She was definitely thicker than Lucy was, but he found it completely enticing. She had hips that could make empires fall, and curves that would make any goddess jealous. She was absolutely beautiful to him, and he decided to show it by leaning in for another kiss and gently running his hands up her sides.

Mrs. Lovett felt suprisingly comfortable under Sweeney's gaze, and began to unbutton his shirt as quickly as she could. Once he shrugged the garment off his shoulders, she laid a hand flat against his chest. He was very hard, but she figured that this was because of both the hard labour and lashings he got in prison, resulting in hardened and scarred muscles. She traced a scar with her fingertips all the way from his shoulder to his lower abdomen and let out a small sigh as she felt such deep sympathy for the man beneath her.

Sweeney tensed when she felt his scars, and after a minute, decided to flip them over so he was on top. The baker let out a small yelp, but instantly wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him closer. He kissed her cheek, then her jawline, then down her neck and around her breasts. She let out a happy hum and weaved her hands through his hair once he took one breast in his mouth. Sweeney smirked slightly at this before moving down her stomach and between her legs. He removed her knickers with ease and gently stroked the inside of her thighs, making her quiver and mew softly. Then, leaning down, he pressed a feather light kiss to her clit before straightening back up and removing the remainder of his clothes.

Mrs. Lovett smiled once he was kneeling in front of her equally naked. Biting her lip, she moved a little closer and spread her legs, silently begging him to start. Getting the hint, he moved over her once again, placing one hand on the bed next to her head before slowly guiding himself into her.

They both let out a moan as he sunk inside her. It had been quite a while since Mrs. Lovett had been with a man, and she was grateful that Sweeney gave her some time to adjust and simply kissed her for a few minutes before beginning to move.

Sweeney was practically drooling over the baker as he began to set a pace. She was warm and wet and felt _so good._ His head dropped to her shoulder and he closed his eyes as he picked up the speed and rhythmically snapped his hips.

"Oh, god," Mrs. Lovett moaned, wrapping her arms around his back and dragging her nails down his skin. She could never keep her mouth shut and always tended to verbalise in bed.

"Fffffffuck, yeah, oh yes! Right there! Oh! Christ...don't stop…"

Her shouts only turned him on more, and as he continued thrusting as fast as he could, he picked a spot on the baker's neck to bite down on.

"Yes, Sweeney, oh yes! Ooooh!" Mrs. Lovett screamed as she lifted her legs to wrap around his back, allowing him to change the angle and hit just the right spot as he pushed into her even deeper than before. The baker sucked in shuddery breaths as she screamed and spasmed and clenched around him, driving him to his own climax.

"Fu-u-u-uck!"

She was driven to a second climax as he continued thrusting into her. He pinned her hands above her head and bit into her shoulder as his body stilled for a moment before releasing into her.

Mrs. Lovett smiled when she felt a rush of warmth between her legs. She let out a small moan when he pulled out, and was left breathless as he fell beside her. It took them a few moments to cool down, but once they did, Mrs. Lovett crawled over to Sweeney and pressed a small kiss to the side of his face.

"Goodnight, Mr. Todd," She whispered sweetly.

"Goodnight, Mrs. Lovett."

And with that, Mrs. Lovett curled up under the blankets and drifted off into a very pleasant sleep.


	5. Concupiscent

Mrs. Lovett woke up at three the next morning, jolting upwright in bed as a chill shot down her spine. Her nightmares had been getting better recently, but on the rare occasion she had one, it was intense. Sucking in lungfuls of the cold London air, the baker slowly looked around and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Wiping a bead of sweat from her forehead, she slowly sat up in bed and pulled her knees to her chest. She didn't know why, but her dream had shaken her so much that she began to sob. It wasn't a dream of anyone in particular- it was the customers in her shop, sneering and yelling as one of them held her down and another had his way with her. She could still his hands around her throat.

"Uh...Nellie?"

The baker jumped at her name, nearly falling out of bed. She wasn't used to sharing her room with anyone and completely forgot about Sweeney.

"Shit...sorry. I-I didn't mean to wake you," She whispered, clutching her rapidly beating heart.

"No, it's alright. You...what happened?" He asked softly, moving some hair out of her face.

"Nothing. Just a bad dream is all…" Mrs. Lovett shrugged and slowly turned away as she tried to steady her breath.

Sweeney nodded slowly and gently took her hand. "Well...whatever it was, it wasn't real."

Mrs. Lovett stared at Sweeney for a minute before abruptly sliding out of bed.

"I'm sorry...I just-I need...I need air," She stuttered as she grabbed a blanket to wrap around herself and dashed out the door.

She ran into the kitchen and leaned forward on the counter, resting her head in her still shaking hands.

Sweeney sat up in bed when Mrs. Lovett fled the room, but decided not to follow her just yet. Although he was very tired, he ran a hand through his hair and waited for a few minutes before getting out of bed as well. Tugging his pants back on, he sluggishly walked across the house into the kitchen and stood on the opposite side of the counter, facing the baker with a small frown.

"Are you alright?" He asked, gently moving some hair out of her face so he could look at her.

"Why does no one love Frankenstein's monster?! Why are they so horrible to 'im?" Mrs. Lovett blurted out, beginning to pace the floor.

"What? Mrs. Lovett, it's just a book…"

"I know, but...why does no one show him kindness? They throw stones a-and spit on him when he did nothing wrong! He was a gentle creature!"

Frowning, Sweeney took a deep breath and reached forward to take one of Mrs. Lovett's hands and stop her pacing. He knew that this was about more than the book. Biting his lip, he guided her to the table and sat her down before taking a seat next to her.

"Because he is different," He finally answered. "And people are afraid of him. They don't undersand him...they don't understand you...us…" He said calmly.

Mrs. Lovett inhaled a shaky breath and nodded slowly. Although he didn't talk too much, she understood exactly what he meant.

"The world is so cruel…" She mumbled, looking out the window with a small frown.

"Perhaps that is why Frankenstein's creature seeks a mate. A female. Because the world is a lot more tolerable when you're with someone...like yourself," Sweeney said thoughtlessly as he stared at a spot on the table.

"I s'pose you're right," Mrs. Lovett nodded, turning her focus from the cold London streets to the pensive looking barber in front of her.

"Thank you, by the way," She mumbled before getting up to get a glass of water.

"For what?"

"For just...talking to me. It's nice to 'ave someone to talk to who isn't...y'know, condescending."

Raising an eyebrow, Sweeney slowly nodded. "That's a good word, condescending. Your vocabulary is growing."

Mrs. Lovett smiled proudly and nodded slightly.

"You should get back to bed…"

"I think I'd like a few minutes to myself, actually...just to think,"

"Alright. Would you mind very much if I went back upstairs?"

Mrs. Lovett bit her lip, but nodded once again and finished up her glass of water. She was disappointed to see the barber go, but had to remind herself that he had done a lot for her lately and deserved a break.

"Goodnight," She said as he walked out the door, smiling when he turned and waved goodbye before leaving.

Sighing, Mrs. Lovett wandered back to the bedroom and sat up in bed, now unable to sleep. Her mind replayed her last conversation she had with Mr. Todd. "The world is a lot more tolerable when you're with someone like yourself," he had said. The more she thought about it, the more her stomach began to flutter. She knew she loved him, there was no doubt about that. But maybe, just maybe, he was beginning to warm up to her as well.

The next morning she was up bright and early. Humming a little tune to herself, she put the kettle on and brought up some breakfast for the barber upstairs.

"Hello, Mr. T," She said cheerily as she walking in and put the tray of food down on the vanity as usual.

"Morning," Sweeney grunted, turning away from the window to face her.

"You left these downstairs last night," Mrs. Lovett muttered, blushing slightly as she took the shirt and belt folded over her arm and laid them on the back of his chair.

"Thank you," He said brisquely.

"Mhm."

"It's Sunday."

"So it is."

"Church won't let out till almost noon...there's no business."

"...Would you like to join me downstairs, then?" The baker asked, taking the hint.

"If you insist," Sweeney replied stiffly before moving past her to jog down the steps.

Soon Mrs. Lovett and Sweeney fell into a new routine. Although he hated to admit it, Sweeney was slowly becoming addicted to the petite baker. They shagged twice a day, every day; once in the morning after breakfast, and once in the evening after dinner. It became a hastle for Sweeney to ascend up to his shop every night though, so he allowed himself to sleep downstairs in Mrs. Lovett's bed most nights. Their relationship, of course, was much more complicated with sex involved. As Mrs. Lovett's lessons continued, she grew more and more attached to him. Although Sweeney tried to shrug it off, he knew that he was eventually going to have to address their underlying feelings. But for now, he told himself, it was just sex. No strings attached.

"Mrs. Lovett, would you like to play a game?" Sweeney asked one afternoon, suddenly slamming the book shut.

He smirked when he saw the baker's eyes light up and even chuckled a bit as he watched her nod vigorously.

"What kind of game?!" She asked excitedly.

"The kind of game where you take your clothes off."

Raising an eyebrow, Mrs. Lovett let out a breathy laugh before beginning to tug on the strings of her corset.

"Oooh, I like this game," She purred playfully as she threw her corset off and danced over to the bedroom. "Come and get me!" She called over her shoulder as she began to remove the rest of her dress.

Sweeney rolled his eyes at her eagerness but quickly followed and tackled her into bed. He pulled her slip over her head and tossed it to the side before quickly removing her knickers so she was completely naked before him.

"Hey, what about you?" She questioned with a frown, noticing she was the only one without clothes.

Letting out a small sigh, Sweeney pulled his shirt over his head before grabbing the baker's knees and pulling them apart.

"Now, pet, I want to see just how much vocabulary you've learned over the last few weeks," He said with a small smile.

"Huh? I thought...we're sort of in the middle of something, darling," The baker cocked her head to the side and frowned in confustion.

"Like I said, we're playing a game, pet," Sweeney mumbled, laying on his stomach and placing his head between her legs.

"Now I want you to use the new words you've been learning to describe how you feel. Alright?"

Biting her lip in anticipation, Mrs. Lovett nodded and spread her legs further.

Smirking slightly, Sweeney moved closer and began to just brush his fingers over her thighs and place a few kisses around her naval. "How does that feel?" He whispered.

"Feels like you're teasing me," Mrs. Lovett whined.

"Come on, pet. Give me a description or I'll stop."

Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Lovett laid her head back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. "Hmmmm...how about...antagonizingly electric?"

"Very good," Sweeney mumbled, actually very impressed. "Alright, you've earned a bit more."

He silently began to run his fingers up and down her slit, separating her folds a bit before gently rubbing her entrance.

Mrs. Lovett hummed happily and melted into the bed with a giant smile.

"Give me a word, Nell,"

"Wet," She sighed

"Come on, we both know you can do better than that."

"Deliciously drenched, then."

"Better," Sweeney praised before removing his fingers and replacing them with his tongue.

He teased her entrance for a while before pulling back and staring at her with a raised eyebrow to let her knew she had to continue to talk.

"Ummmm...sensual,"

Nodding, Sweeney went back to work and gently moved his tongue in a small circle around her clit.

Mrs. Lovett let out what sounded like a mix between a whimper and a moan as she arched off the bed and closed her eyes.

"Go on," He breathed before gently biting down on her bundle of nerves.

"Fuck!" She screamed, jolting nearly upright and fisting her hands in the barber's jet black hair. She'd never had anyone do something like this for her, so every new stimulus was new and exciting and intense. "Holy shit…" She breathed. "Do that again."

"Like that, do you? Tell me, Nellie, how does that make you feel?"

She heard him chuckle and rolled her eyes before attempting to pull another word from her scrambled brain.

"Uh...liscentious," Her voice cracked on the last syllable, but she didn't care. She was desperate and needy and completely submitted to the barber at the end of the bed.

"Ooh, very good," He mumbled, gently biting at her once again before pulling back a bit. "See? You've earned a treat now." He slowly sunk one finger into her and moved it around a bit before adding a second one.

Mrs. Lovett let out a low groan and tensed her muscles even more, muttering a small "Ah, yes," as she lifted her hips off the bed.

Beginning to move his fingers at a steady pace, Sweeney moved up the bed to hover over the baker and gently placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Look at me," He waited until she opened her eyes before continuing. "Give me a word, pet."

"Fuck, Sweeney...I can't…" She panted, feeling like her brain was becoming hazier by the second.

"Yes you can. Think. Or I'll stop," He threatened sternly.

Mrs. Lovett moaned once again and closed her eyes, trying her very best to focus on _something_ so that Mr. Todd wouldn't stop.

"Naughty...um...w-wanton,"

Accepting her word, Sweeney kissed the tip of her nose, then down her jaw, then the top of her chest before briefly taking a nipple into his mouth and swirlling his tongue around for a moment. He smiled as the woman beneath him cried out, but moved once again so that he was back in between her legs.

"Why, Mrs. Lovett, I do believe you are about to come," He teased as he moved his fingers faster and adjusted the angle until he heard her screaming.

"Fuck, yes! Please, Sweeney...please…"

"How about one last word, my love? I know you're very smart, you can do it. How does it feel when I fuck you?" He cooed in a mockingly sweet tone.

"So good, Sweeney! So fucking good…"

"How good?"

Mrs. Lovett let out a whimper and shook her head as she tried to think of a word.

"Fuck, it feels...it feels...oh, FUCK! Oh, Sweeney, yes! Yes! Please don't stop, please, please please!"

Rolling his eyes, Sweeney continued to move his fingers once he realised that he had brought the baker to a climax. Letting out a small sigh, he watched as each and every muscle in her body twitched and writhed in pleasure. This was the first time he was really able to properly watch her climax and he had to say, he enjoyed it quite a bit. Her face was slightly scrunched up, her mouth hanging open, and her hair was even frizzier than usual as it clung to her sweat drenched body.

He eventually pulled away once he felt her stop convulsing, and sat at the end of the bed with a small smirk on his face. He simply waited for Mrs. Lovett to talk, since she was always the first to start a conversation after sex.

It took a while for Mrs. Lovett to get her breath back, but once she did, she sat up against the headboard and stared at the man across the bed.

"Concupiscent," She said with a wide smile. "That's my word. Means horny, right?"

Sweeney raised an eyebrow at this, slightly confused at first.

"It means having sexual desires," He corrected her.

"So horny."

"Must you be so crude all the time?" Sweeney said with an exasperated sigh.

Mrs. Lovett laughed amusedly before leaning forward and grabbing the barber's arms to get him to cuddle with her.

"I like that method of teaching," She said reflectively.

"I thought you might," He chuckled in return.

"Can we try again tomorrow?" She looked up at him with a gigantic smile and those sparkling eyes of hers.

Leaning down, Sweeney pressed a small kiss to her forehead before pulling wrapping his arms around her and pulling her to his chest.

"Perhaps."


	6. Christmas Spirits

Time seemed to fly by extremely quickly whenever Sweeney came downstairs to spend time with Mrs. Lovett. He read with her every day, although recently she hadn't needed his help too much. Still though, it was nice for the both of them. As was the sex, of course- but neither one of them really thought too hard about it anymore. The days continued to pass, and the weather grew colder, and before either one of them knew it, it was nearly Christmas. Mrs. Lovett spent more and more time snuggled up with a book by the fire; with the horrible weather, there was hardly any business, for no one was out and about, so the baker was left peacefully alone. Sweeney still had some business, but it was getting rather slow because most men had grown out their beards for the winter as well. He too, began to get accustomed to spending long afternoons cuddled up with the baker downstairs.

"So I 'ad time to rummage through my old cook book today and I decided to give these a try...tell me what you think," Mrs. Lovett said cheerfully as she walked into the parlour with a batch of freshly made gingersnap cookies.

"I'm not one for sweets, really," Sweeney lied, not wanting to seem to soft even though the cookies smelled delightful.

"But I spent a good deal of time making them...just one bite, love. I need your opinion," Mrs. Lovett insisted, taking a cookie from the tray and holding it out in front of the barber's mouth.

Rolling his eyes, Sweeney leaned forward and took a bite. He chewed it thoughtfully, then shrugged once he finished and laid back against the sofa.

"It's alright," He finally told her.

"What is _alright?_ Is it sweet enough? I might've added a touch too much cinnamon…"

"No, you didn't add too much cinnamon. It's fine."

Nodding slowly, Mrs. Lovett grabbed a cookie for herself and laid back on the sofa, gently putting her head on his shoulder.

"You excited for Christmas, then? Only a few days away."

"Not particularly."

"Yeah. I s'ppose it's hard...not 'avin' a family to celebrate with and all…" Mrs. Lovett sighed and looked away.

Sweeney tensed up slightly, but simply nodded and stared into the fireplace.

"It'll be alright this time 'round, though. We'll get by, just the two of us," She mumbled, giving him a small nudge so that he would turn to look at her. She leaned up and gave him a small kiss before laying her head back on his shoulder.

"I'll make a big dinner for us. I've been saving up, we've got enough money this year for a proper meal. We'll 'ave turkey and potatoes and _gravy!_ It'll be a right treat," She continued. "And we can play a few games...maybe I'll play piano for a bit...we could 'ave a good time together. It'll be a real Christmas…"

Sweeney frowned slightly as Mrs. Lovett began to ramble, beginning to get uncomfortable. He really hated when she pulled him into her little fantasies because he knew he would never live up to her expectations.

"Don't get your hopes up," He mumbled.

"No... 'course not," She muttered right back before crossing her arms over her chest and keeping quiet. She couldn't help but daydream, and she hated it when Sweeney tried to ruin things for her.

Sweeney looked over at Mrs. Lovett, rolling his eyes when he realized he'd upset her. Taking a deep breath, he gently pushed her off of him before reaching into his coat pocket and retreiving a gift.

"I got you this," He said bluntly, shoving a book into her hands. "I...I suppose it's sort of a christmas present, but it'd be better for you to read before Christmas, so…"

Pleasantly surprised, Mrs. Lovett stared down at the book in her hands with an enormous smile. "A Christmas Carol...oh, that's nice. Wait...Dickens again?" She whined a bit when she realized who the author was.

"Don't worry, this one is happier than the last."

"Oh good. Thank you, Sweeney. Really, you didn't 'ave to do that,"

Sweeney simply shrugged and smiled slightly. "It's the only present I bought you so don't expect more," He added with a raised eyebrow.

Mrs. Lovett smirked slightly and nodded before opening the book.

"I should start now if I 'ave to finish before Christmas, then," She said with a small smile.

Nodding, Sweeney wrapped an arm around her and leaned over her shoulder to look at the book.

Before she knew it, Mrs. Lovett was waking up bright and early on Christmas day. Excitement surged through her body like electricity, and she eagerly ripped the bedsheets off the bed and turned to the barber sleeping beside her.

"Mr. T? Wake up, love, it's Christmas!"

She giggled as Sweeney let out what sounded like a whine and rolled over in bed.

"Christ, stop being so bloody childish," He scolded as he rubbed his eyes and squinted at her.

"But it's _Christmas!"_

"Mrs. Lovett, you're a grown woman. What, were you expecting Father Christmas to bring you presents in your stocking?"

Mrs. Lovett frowned at this, her excitement beginning to fade.

"I'm just happy. Today's a good day."

"It's just another day," Sweeney sighed, finally sitting up in bed when he realized she wouldnt be leaving him alone anytime soon.

"C'mere, Scrooge," Mrs. Lovett giggled, leaning in for a kiss.

Sweeney rolled his eyes but kissed her back and absentmindedly played with a strand of her hair.

As expected, the day went swimmingly for Mrs. Lovett. She got all dolled up in a stunning emerald dress and stuck a sprig of mistletoe into her frizzy hair, using it as an excuse to shower Sweeney with kisses all day. She spent the afternoon playing on the piano and singing carols and convincing Sweeney to play at least a few parlour games with her, ignoring the petulant and bored look on his face the whole time. Then, she spent over three hours in the kitchen preparing dinner that night, and they both ate like kings. She'd never eaten so much in her life, but her mother's old recipes tasted _so good_ after twenty years of Christmases spent alone with naught but a piece of bread and some gin.

As the barber and the baker retired to the parlour, both stuffed and drowsy, she laid her head on his shoulder and gently pet his leg.

"Mr. T," She sighed, pressing a small kiss to the side of his neck as a sudden thought popped into her head. "What was Christmas like with Lucy?" She couldn't help but want to compare herself to his previous wife, even though she knew she didn't stand a chance.

Sweeney tensed at the mention of his deceased spouse, and slowly pushed her off of him.

"It was nice enough," He grumbled, indicating that he did not want to continued the conversation.

"I bet it was...d'you remember Johanna's first christmas?"

Sweeney nodded sternly, not taking his eyes off the burning fire.

"It's alright if you miss 'em. I miss my family too...not Albert, but...Mum and Dad…"

Sweeney slowly turned to face Mrs. Lovett and was greeted with a small sad smile. He opened his mouth to say something, but had no clue what to say, and so quickly shut it again.

"M'sorry, I was just...just thinkin' 'bout that book you gave me. A Christmas Carol. 'Bout the ghost of Christmas past an' all...'course the ghost of Christmas present weren't too nice either...or Christmas future," She shrugged and tugged on a strand of her hair to play with.

"That's why I never liked Christmas. Too many ghosts," Sweeney replied, staring into the baker's warm chesnut eyes.

Mrs. Lovett nodded understandingly before leaning in for a small kiss.

"It's different now, though. We've got each other," She whispered as she pulled back.

Nodding slightly, Sweeney pulled back and stared at her for another second before taking her hands.

"We ought to go to bed," He mumbled as he got to her feet.

Frowning, Mrs. Lovett got up as well but gave Sweeney a disappointed look before going to the bedroom.

"You don't wanna shag?" She asked with a frown as she began to untie her corset.

"It's been a long day. Surely even you must run out of energy at some point," He replied with a raised eyebrow.

Mrs. Lovett sighed as she slipped into her nightgown and plopped into bed.

"Is it 'cause I brought up Lucy?"

"No," Sweeney shook his head and awkwardly slipped under the covers next to her.

Pouting slightly, Mrs. Lovett laid her head back on her pillow for a moment and closed her eyes. She only opened them again when she felt the barber's fingers pulling at the mistletoe she had left in her hair. She scrunched her face up in pain for a moment, but once he got it free, he surprised her with a kiss. It was long and thoughtful and the closest to loving that Sweeney Todd would ever get. Smiling as they pulled away, she watched him toss the mistletoe away and get back under the sheets.

"Merry Christmas...Nellie."

"Merry Christmas, Sweeney."


	7. Shall I Compare Thee

Soon the winter began to slowly melt into spring, which allowed the barber and the baker to come up with a whole different set of excuses to spend time together. With the weather getting warmer, Mrs. Lovett found it easier to convince Sweeney to join her outside and read under some tree in the park.

It was nice going out and spending the afternoons in the grass with her head in Sweeney's lap. For the first time, Mrs. Lovett truly felt _alive._ Sure, she'd felt envigorated whenever she spent time with the love of her life, but feeling the earth beneath her feet and watching the clouds in the sky made her feel a strange sense of importence.

On this particular afternoon, the baker was resting with her hands folded on her stomach and her head in the barber's lap, staring at the drooping branches of the willow tree above them as Sweeney read some poetry. She was reluctant to start on Shakespeare once again, but he hand insisted that Shakespearean sonnets were perfect for an afternoon such as this in the park. A few of them Mrs. Lovett had heard before, and a small smile stretched her lips when she heard the barber's gruff voice utter "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

He paused for a moment and looked down at Mrs. Lovett with an amused smile. "I take it you like this one?"

"It's absolutely lovely," Mrs. Lovett breathed.

"Too romantic, if you ask me."

The baker smirked and shook her head. "I think it's perfect. Go on, keep reading, then! Thou art more lovely and more temperate…"

"Oh, you know it, do you?" Sweeney asked in surprise.

"Well…" The baker shrugged and looked away.

"Recite it for me, then."

Taking a deep breath, Mrs. Lovett nodded and began to recite:

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling-"

"Hold on. I've got an idea."

Raising an eyebrow, Mrs. Lovett turned to Sweeney and looked at him expectantly.

With a devilish smirk, Sweeney leaned in and began to kiss all the way up Mrs. Lovett's neck until he hit the perfect sweet spot right behind her ear that he knew she loved.

"Continue," He growled in her ear as he nipped at her delicate porcelain skin.

Letting out a breath that she didn't know she was holding, Mrs. Lovett tried to stutter out the next part of the sonnet.

"The rough w-winds do shake the...the darling buds of m-may…"

She let out a small whimper as she felt the barber's hand gently tracing up her calf to the inside of her thigh.

"Sweeney, someone will see us," She hissed.

"Why, Mrs. Lovett, whatever do you mean?" He chuckled, moving down to kiss her collar bone. "We're simply having a private poetry reading."

"But what if-"

"We're secluded enough, pet. Don't you fret."

Mrs. Lovett gave the barber a small pout, but slowly tried to remember the next line of the sonnet once again so that he would continue touching her.

"And summer's lease hath all too short a date. Sometime too hot the….the eye of heaven sh-shine…"

She trailed off once again as he pressed his lips to her neck and rubbed small circles into her thighs.

"Hmmmm...and often is his...his gold complexion...d-dimmed…"

His hands moved higher with every syllable.

"A-and every fair f-from fair...sometimes...oh, _fuck"_

Sweeney let out a small breathy laugh as he gently stroked the baker through her already dampened knickers. He pressed a small kiss to the side of her face and finished the line for her.

"Sometimes from fair declines," He reminded her.

Nodding slowly, Mrs. Lovett bit her lip and arched her back slightly before continuing.

"By chance...or...mmmmph...or nature's c-course….ah...untrimm'd"

Nodding in approval, the barber pushed her knickers to the side and gently ran his fingers up and down her sex.

"But...but thy... _oh yes_...thy eternal s-summer… shall n-not... _God…._ fade."

Sweeney smirked in amusement, beginning to circle her clit for a second before gently sliding one finger into her.

"Nor lose p-possession.. _.oh_...of that fair... _ah, Christ._..thou ow'st"

He efortlessly slid another finger into her and built up a steady rhythm.

"Nor shall...fuck, Sweeney please! Please please please just fuck meeeeeee,"

Sweeney laughed softly at this, but shook his head and removed his hand. "Keep quiet, pet," He mumbled as he leaned back against the tree and undid his trousers.

Mrs. Lovett smiled and glanced quickly over her shoulder to make sure there were no people before hitching her skirts up and gently sinking down on him. They both let out a small groan once he was fully inside her, and the baker let go of her skirts, placing her hands on either side of the barber's head that now rested against the trunk of the tree.

To any passers by, it would simply look as if she were sitting in his lap- still an inappropriate position, but still excusable.

"Finish the sonnet, darling," Sweeney muttered with a small smirk, staring at the look on his lover's face.

"When in eternal lines…ah, Christ," Mrs. Lovett exhaled and let her head drop as she gently ground her hips.

"...to time thou... _oh!..._ grow'st...mmmmm…"

Sweeney let out a sigh of pleasure and leaned his head back against the tree, staring up at the sky for a moment as the baker rode him.

"I'm so close, Sweeney...nearly there...oh god, you feel so good," She tried to make up for her lack of rememberance by speaking whatever came to her mind.

"Then you ought to give me the last line," Sweeney replied with gritted teeth, bringing his hands to her hips and gripping them tightly until she was forced to stop.

Mrs. Lovett let out a whine and pulled up fistfuls of grass as she lost the delicious friction and climbed down from her building climax.

"Um….I dunno, Sweeney, I forgot," She stuttered, visibly beginning to shake as she attempted to continue moving.

"I'm sure you can remember… So long-"

"SO LONG LIVES THIS, AND THIS GIVES LIFE TO THOU!" Mrs. Lovett snapped before immediately beginning to move again and biting down on the barber's shoulder as her came over her.

"Yes, yes, yes, oh yes, oh fuck, God, Jesus, mmmmmmmm yes," She mumbled into her skin as she slammed down onto him again and again.

When she finally felt a rush of warmth between her legs, and stopped her movement and slumped down against the barber, who happily took her in his arms.

They both sat still and enjoyed the afterglow of their coupling.

"It's thee, by the way." Sweeney was the first to speak.

"Huh?"

"You said thou. The last line of the sonnet is 'So long lives this, and this gives life to thee'."

Mrs. Lovett turned her head to stare at Mr. Todd in both annoyance and amusement.

"I bloody hate you."

Sweeney smirked at this and shook this head.

"We'll have to keep working till you get it right."


End file.
